Trigger Stick/Raider Pro - New Shaft

[elfman12]

Hey, just wanted to show you all this - a friend of mine has a machine shop, and we put this little post together for the Raider Pro hack. This thing works like a charm! Nothing has to be done to the Raider Pro stick, just take it off of it's base, cut the wires and open it up.

We drilled 2 holes in the shaft horizontally, so that it slides nicely over the two posts that are already in the Raider Pro handle. This also prevents it from twisting, and makes things very stable.

A third hole is drilled just below this (at an angle) to allow the wires to pass down the hollow middle. We cut slots for the snap ring, based off of the handle on the Happs Super, but will probably adjust these to fit the trigger stick length on both wood and metal CPs.

Question is, any suggestions on it? And, would anyone be interested in these if I could get him to manufacture some of these? Thanks!

[JLR2000]

And, would anyone be interested in these if I could get him to manufacture some of these? Thanks!

Are you talking about just the shaft, or the entire joystick hack.  I picked up a Raider Pro to hack myself and might be interested in the "made-to-fit" shaft you have come up with.  I'm not looking for the hacked joystick though, just the shaft.  If so, what price range do you envision for these?  Thanks!

[elfman12]

And, would anyone be interested in these if I could get him to manufacture some of these? Thanks!

Are you talking about just the shaft, or the entire joystick hack.  I picked up a Raider Pro to hack myself and might be interested in the "made-to-fit" shaft you have come up with.  I'm not looking for the hacked joystick though, just the shaft.  If so, what price range do you envision for these?  Thanks!

Just the shafts... the Raider Pro's should be simple enough to pick up at Best Buy for most people - I'm not sure of anywhere else that carries them, but I'm sure their easy to get ahold of.

As for price, it'll depend on how many I can order at a time, but I would assume around $15 a piece, something like that. I'll have to get an estimate for sure.
Thanks!

[Brax]

Does that mean we can't get dimensions from you?  

I picked up some scrap (Nuclear Grade!!!!)stainless steel tubing from our machine shop..... I've had that idea in mind for a while but I haven't bothered yet.

Yours looks great.

[Tommy Boy]

Hey Brax, if you've got some more of that scrap aluminum I've got a contact in Iraq looking to buy... LOL

elfman12 -- I'd be interested in buying a couple shafts.  Looks like it's be a hell of a lot easier (and better) than hacking my own.  $15 seems reasonable.

[Brax]

Um, it's ASME Section III, Class 1, SA 316/316L........ It doesn't mean it glows...... Basically, we just know exactly what it consists of.   We make valves for the Candu reactors worldwide.

I was hinting that it's high quality stainless. It wouldn't be hard to calculate the dimensions, but since they're already done I was hoping he'd share.

[StingMe]

Question is, any suggestions on it? And, would anyone be interested in these if I could get him to manufacture some of these?

Nice work - everybody should have a friend with a machine shop I've had my Raider Pro for a while now and am just finishing up my cab so the timing is perfect. I plan on making this stick removable via an Oscar mounting plate and would then need a shaft suitable for a metal CP. How far above your CP is the stick (base) positioned? It seems like you would only want it about 3/8" above the CP (just enough to clear), right?

Put me on the "interested" list and let me know when you get an estimate of the cost.

Thanks!

[Tommy Boy]

Um, it's ASME Section III, Class 1, SA 316/316L........ It doesn't mean it glows...... Basically, we just know exactly what it consists of.   We make valves for the Candu reactors worldwide.

I was hinting that it's high quality stainless. It wouldn't be hard to calculate the dimensions, but since they're already done I was hoping he'd share.

I got ya the first time  .  I was just making a small joke based on the news item from a week or so ago.  It seems that the Bush people leaked a story that the Iraqis were trying to acquire aluminum tubes of the quality necessary for building nuclear weapons.  Turns out that the story wasn't true.

Obviously it wasn't that funny after all...  

[elfman12]

I plan on making this stick removable via an Oscar mounting plate and would then need a shaft suitable for a metal CP. How far above your CP is the stick (base) positioned? It seems like you would only want it about 3/8" above the CP (just enough to clear), right?

Put me on the "interested" list and let me know when you get an estimate of the cost.

Thanks!

Thanks! Actually, I'm going to mount my 2 to Oscar mounting plates also (to restrict to 2 way (for Battlezone) and 4-way (robotron, etc)), so I'll have them setup for that for sure. I'm planning on making clip notches for metal, 3/4 and 1" wood CPs. Anyone else have suggestions on shaft length defaults?

[1UP]

I did the exact same thing with my Raiders.  Cost me about $1 worth of aluminum tube.  The one I got was just from a hobby store, but it seems plenty strong.  It was easily drilled with my drill press.  The tube walls are a bit thinner than yours, since I needed more room for extra wires to light my glowire.

BTW, how are you keeping the sticks from turning around backwards?  I had to come up with a way to put a nail thru the tube and plastic spacer, which rides in a slot I cut in the top of the joystick base.  The nail keeps the sticks secured in a forward direction, without restricting directional movement.  The details are here.

[elfman12]

It wouldn't be hard to calculate the dimensions, but since they're already done I was hoping he'd share.

Sure, the measurements on writen down on a scrap of paper by the mill in the shop somewhere... I'll get them when I run out there next, and post them. (Hey, I was just wanting to get this baby on the stick, I forgot to pay attention to little details like dimensions!   )

[u_rebelscum]

D'oh!  I should have drilled that third hole.  It was a pain, let me tell you, trying to slide the tube onto the posts with the wires coming in from the top.  Boy do I feel smart.

As for the total length of the shaft, mine are about 3.5" measured from the bottom of the RaiderPro handle to the end of the shaft.  You'll have to add the length of shaft inside the handle, yourself; I'm not going to take mine apart now after all that work.    Mine are mounted on a happs competition base, with my extra (metal) spacer for my super joysticks shaved a little + some plastic spacers a little more than the amount shaved off.  I get about 1/2" between the top of the control panel and the bottom of the handle.

To resist turning, I wrapped ~2 layers of clear packing tape around the shaft inside the competition joystick base.  They still can turn, but only when forced.

[elfman12]

I did the exact same thing with my Raiders.  Cost me about $1 worth of aluminum tube.  The one I got was just from a hobby store, but it seems plenty strong.  It was easily drilled with my drill press.  The tube walls are a bit thinner than yours, since I needed more room for extra wires to light my glowire.

BTW, how are you keeping the sticks from turning around backwards?  I had to come up with a way to put a nail thru the tube and plastic spacer, which rides in a slot I cut in the top of the joystick base.  The nail keeps the sticks secured in a forward direction, without restricting directional movement.  The details are here.

How does the aluminum work for you? We used this steel thinking that, with all the holes being drilled, it needed all the strength it could get. BTW, with this hole, I have room for my glowire, but not 2 runs - so it'll take a separate wire for each stick.

I had a really complex idea for a framework inside the base, but I'll probably just thicken the shaft enough to keep it from spinning easily. Although after looking at your cool method, I may just give that a whirl! (but dude, you need a better digital camera!  )

Actually, in your hack, it would also prevent someone from spinning the stick around several times and twisting up and possibly cutting the wires under the CP. Hmmm... fragile things there are.

[mpm32]

Hey where are you guys getting the blue sticks?  I looked around and all I find is black.



I see a black stick and I want to paint it blue.

[Warborg]

Just an FYI, I actually used a shaft from a cheap interchangeable screwdriver for my shaft...  Hollow, strong, and the perfect diameter.  It's one of those cheapie screwdrivers that costs like $3-$4 and has changeable bits at the end, and a telescoping magnetic wand in the middle.  Just hack the shaft off, remove the wand, and there ya go...  

[u_rebelscum]

Hey where are you guys getting the blue sticks?  I looked around and all I find is black.

Last I checked, Fry's had the blues (only), and Staples & BestBuy had the black (only).

[1UP]

How does the aluminum work for you? We used this steel thinking that, with all the holes being drilled, it needed all the strength it could get. BTW, with this hole, I have room for my glowire, but not 2 runs - so it'll take a separate wire for each stick.

It's strong enough.  My really scientific stress test entailed just cutting the shaft to length, then trying to bend it with my bare hands.    They passed the test, and should at least hold up until I have kids...

I had a really complex idea for a framework inside the base, but I'll probably just thicken the shaft enough to keep it from spinning easily. Although after looking at your cool method, I may just give that a whirl! (but dude, you need a better digital camera!  )

I had originally planned to have 4 nails coming out of the shaft and 4 slots in the base, but realized that 1 would work just as well.  It was the simplest idea I could come up with that wouldn't hamper movement of the sticks.  You just need to make sure the nail is as far down on the spacer as possible, or it can pop out of the slot when the stick is pulled all the way back.

And, yeah, my camera sucks, but hey, it was free!    Maybe Santa (or Ms. 1UP) will leave something with 2 or 3 megapixels under the tree this year...  

Actually, in your hack, it would also prevent someone from spinning the stick around several times and twisting up and possibly cutting the wires under the CP. Hmmm... fragile things there are.

Yup, that's pretty much the idea.

[elfman12]

It's strong enough.  My really scientific stress test entailed just cutting the shaft to length, then trying to bend it with my bare hands.    They passed the test, and should at least hold up until I have kids...

Yeah, I have a soon-to-be 10 year old daughter who is just waiting to beat the crap outta this panel.  Maybe I need to get titanium shafts all 'round.

Here's hoping you get a nice, shiny 3 megapixel for christmas this year. If not, start enforcing the "coin mech feature" of your cab and you'll get enough $$$ for one in no time!  

[RacerX]

Last I checked, Fry's had the blues (only), and Staples & BestBuy had the black (only).

My Best Buy in College Station has the blue one.  I just saw it the other day and almost bought it because of some of the ideas that I saw on BYOAC.  But I don't have any definite plans for a CP that would use one yet.  My next project is hacking my SW yoke, and I haven't had time to get that started yet.  

[u_rebelscum]

Last I checked, Fry's had the blues (only), and Staples & BestBuy had the black (only).

My Best Buy in College Station has the blue one.  I just saw it the other day and almost bought it because of some of the ideas that I saw on BYOAC.  But I don't have any definite plans for a CP that would use one yet.  My next project is hacking my SW yoke, and I haven't had time to get that started yet.  

Ah, must vary store to store, then.  However, I've never seen both the blue and the black in the same store.  (except on-line "stores".)

[Jungle]

It wouldn't be hard to calculate the dimensions, but since they're already done I was hoping he'd share.

Sure, the measurements on writen down on a scrap of paper by the mill in the shop somewhere... I'll get them when I run out there next, and post them. (Hey, I was just wanting to get this baby on the stick, I forgot to pay attention to little details like dimensions!   )

Did you ever get a chance to get the dimensions on this?  Or at least confirm the diameter?

Thanks.